With Your Permission
by vlora
Summary: When Gothel realizes she can exploit Rapunzel's fascination with the lights, she hadn't counted on Flynn interfering.  Retelling, with altered, slightly darker overtones and events. Rapunzel/Flynn
1. Charms And Chums

**A/N: What if Gothel had agreed to take Rapunzel to see the floating lights, in order to meet her own agenda of making Rapunzel fear the world? What if Flynn hadn't been chased down to Rapunzel's tower? All these things and more in "With Your Permission"! It alternates between POVs, as I don't think I could tell this story any other way. And as for the rating, there won't be anything explicit, but it's also not as cheery as the original so I wanted to be safe. Enjoy!**

**…**

**With Your Permission**

If there was one thing Gothel knew, it was how to manipulate someone into doing exactly what she wanted. It was a gift, a talent that she had developed over the many years she had been alive. It came to her as naturally as breathing or walking now. From weak-willed men to impudent, nasty old women, she was capable of getting exactly what she wanted.

The evidence of this talent could be found in how she treated the young girl with magical hair, one she kept locked up in a tower with only mental tricks. What good were locks and chains? She didn't need such barbaric means to keep the girl in check. After all, mother knows best.

After glancing about in the market a few towns over, Gothel smiled up at the warmth of the sun. The fact was she had her own little drop of the sun, in the form of that very girl. She was bubbly, bright, and naturally pretty - it annoyed her to no end. With one arm looped through a basket handle while the other swayed with the movements of her hips, she wasn't sure she wanted to go back to that girl, or to that dim little tower covered in a child's scrawls. The girl had gotten more and more loud, exuberant, and impossible to contain as she got older. Her fascination with the world couldn't be quelled, no matter what Gothel told her.

Her eyes met with a passing group of young men, all their attention trained on her moments; and why not? She was captivating in all the right ways, and they were dim, slow, and everything that was wrong with the world. She'd had her heart broken tens of times in her long span of life. If she got attached to any one thing, it was ripped out and taken away from her. Men, possessions, and that flower she'd failed to hide well enough. There was no fear that flower was unhidden now. It was locked safely in a tower with the strongest thing possible - mental tendrils of self-doubt and second-guessing.

"I'll take, yes, three of those."

The woman at the stall smiled, but Gothel didn't bother to smile back. She kept a firm look on her features as she tossed a few coins onto the counter, casually waggling her fingers as she walked away with some fresh hazelnuts. That girl did so enjoy them, and she always had. Sometimes Gothel thought about the world outside her tower, and was reminded of why she could never let Rapunzel leave. There were so many dangerous, dark things that could happen to a naive idiot like her. And then where could Gothel be? Dead, probably.

Her hand reflexively grasped at her throat as she walked towards the direction of the forest. She had what she needed, and she was growing tired of walking around. Home wasn't such a terrible idea, and it had been a few days since she'd been there. She really needed a touch-up.

...

Flynn slid down the roof with ease, jumping, bobbing, and weaving his was to the open sunroof above the crown. It was such an easy mark; he wondered why he'd never considered it before. The crown was worth a mint. Enough to pay off a few debts here and there, and certainly enough to pay for his island getaway he'd craved since childhood. He looked across to his accomplices, Red and Reed, and wondered what kind of names those were. He usually just called them Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, but that'd gotten him a punch shoulder he'd rather avoid this time.

"Shall I?"

"You better. You're only here 'cause you're scrawny."

Flynn scoffed, a hand going to his chest as he feigned upset. "I'm _lithe_."

"Scrawny."

"Dashing."

"Get your ass down there."

Flynn frowned, tying the rope around his waist and testing the tension. He was a dashing, lithe thief, so this should be no problem. He could escape the sunlight in a field if he so desired. With that thought in mind, he lowered himself into the open portal, down into the belly of the building. It all seemed a little much, really. A whole building dedicated to a crown when orphans lived fourty strong per room. This would house hundreds of orphans.

Crown, right.

When he was within reaching distance, a sudden loud sneeze scared the heck out of him. He contemplated offering a smart comment, but he felt the rope suddenly slacken. Grab it and go was his M.O. With a swipe and a tug, he was being dragged back up into the building, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "Way to almost drop me."

"You were about to do something stupid."

Flynn scowled, examining the crown. It was a shiny piece of gold and jewels waiting to be cashed in, for the right price. They listened out for the sound of guards, but none seemed to notice the sudden disappearance of the very thing they were supposed to be protecting. No wonder someone kidnapped the baby princess so damn easily. Everyone here was incompetent.

"We should get going." Flynn finally spoke, the adrenaline wearing off. He'd fancied a long-winded chase, maybe a little bit of a near miss. Enough to get stories circulating about him. There hadn't been many since he'd stolen that shipment of jewels from the museum in Denera. That had been a pretty sweet steal, except the money wore thin quicker than he liked. That's why he needed this. This was enough to set him up for life. Wouldn't that be fantastic. No need to run around, hidden and sneaky. He could throw money at peasants with a smile on his face - and steal it all back, of course. He smiled, aptly sneaking after the Stabbington brothers.

Still, he missed the chase that usually ensued. It was no fun when things were so easy.

...

"Rapunzel!"

"Coming mother!"

Rapunzel was excited. She had, had this - this _revelation_. She knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to see the floating lights. She had to see them. They called to her, they were her, and they were everything she wanted in this world. As Gothel stepped over the threshold, Rapunzel just stared excitedly at her. There was so much she wanted to tell her, but it was a matter of pacing. Start with something small, and then build up.

"Mother, tomorrow is a pretty big day..."

"It is?"

Rapunzel's expression faltered a little, her lips pursed together. "Um, yes. Yes. It's... It's my birthday! Remember? It's the same day every year, you know…"

"Oh, how exciting for you! How old are you now? Twelve?"

"I'm turning eighteen, mother."

"No, I'm sure you're turning twelve."

"I think I know how old I am." Rapunzel had said it as a joke. She even laughed, and smiled, but that didn't stop Gothel from turning to glare her down. "I - I'm turning eighteen." She stood firm on the matter.

"Oh, you're getting so _old_, aren't you? So _mature_. You'll be dead soon! Oh, I'm just teasing, you're so cute when you give me that look."

Rapunzel was pretty sure she was glaring, but apparently that was cute. She tugged at a few strands of her hair, playing with it as she stared at the ground. Her mother wasn't very nice, but maybe Rapunzel was being too sensitive. She did that, her mother said. She was too sensitive, and she was too stupid, and she was getting a little too chubby for her favourite dress. Even though Rapunzel was pretty sure growing breasts and hips was normal, given her mother's own hourglass shape. Her mother kept insisting she was too young for such mature things.

Rapunzel was also pretty sure her own body knew what it was doing; but she was stupid, wasn't she? She didn't think so. "Um. Well. I want - I wanted to ask - what I really want, and - what I've wanted for ages, actually, since I was actually turning eleven..."

Gothel puckered her lips as she looked in the mirror, primping and playing with her cheeks and hair. "Would you like me to leave you alone so you can talk to yourself in peace, dear?"

"I want to go see the floating lights!"

Gothel just laughed, her hand reaching out to stroke Rapunzel's hair. Rapunzel pushed into the touch instinctively, so bereft of any kind of contact. "How ever are you going to go see the stars any better outside this tower? Really, Rapunzel."

"No, I mean... The lights that appear on my birthday; the ones that look like giant stars, floating and inching across the sky like - like -"

"Like?"

"I don't know. I just feel like... I need to see them, properly. It's..." She sighed, her hands wringing together in front of her. "Mother?"

"What is it, Rapunzel?"

"Can you take me? To see them?" Rapunzel asked desperately. Maybe mother didn't understand the question. Rapunzel had a habit of not being clear, she was told. It wasn't her fault she liked to speak aloud, to speak out her thoughts, to understand what they meant. Rapunzel loved to learn, and loved to understand things. She looked sadly at the three books she owned, wishing there were more. She wanted so much more. Things she didn't even think she could imagine; she wanted to be outside so badly she thought she might explode and scream and cry all at once. But she needed mother, or _someone_, to take her; she couldn't survive on her own.

"Why are you so desperate to go out there? What is there to gain? A stab wound? Illness? The plague? A horrible man throwing you against a tree and doing God awful, violent things to you?"

Rapunzel's expression changed drastically, fear peering out instead of optimism, at least briefly. Rapunzel, despite her sheltered upbringing, understand that particular scenario. Her mother had explained to her when she went through her first month of bleeding and aches.

Men liked to use women for violent things, things that Rapunzel only had a fuzzy idea of. She knew they were supposed to be painful, and they involved places her mother told her she should just leave alone. Her mother was incredibly helpful, and Rapunzel felt lucky she had someone so interested in keeping her safe, and keeping her protected from the ruffians and thugs who would reveal the fuzzy picture for what it really was. Her body tensed angrily as she thought about it, her arms tightly crossed over her chest.

"I don't mean to frighten you, dear." Gothel finally sighed, gathered Rapunzel up into her arms and stroking her hair. "I just feel it's better for me to scare you than for any of those things to happen to you. You're my little flower, and no one will take you away."

"I know. I just want to go see the lights. That's all."

Gothel had a sudden realization. Holding onto Rapunzel's shoulders, she pushed her to arms' length. "I tell you what, dear. I'll take you to see the floating lights. But you cannot…" She punctuated this by tapping Rapunzel on the nose. "I repeat, _cannot_ let anyone see you. You'll wear a cloak, you won't speak, you won't even breathe near someone else. But you have to promise me this - no matter what you see, what you hear, what you even think, you won't speak to a single soul."

Rapunzel's eyes flew wide. "Really?"

Gothel smirked, petting Rapunzel on the head. "Oh yes, dear. Perhaps you'll be lucky and the world won't try to ruin you. Or try to cut all your hair off and sell it. But you have to promise me."

"I promise I won't speak!"

They would head to the lakeside, and watch from the shore. They'd stay hidden in darkness. She would wrap Rapunzel up in a bundle, force her to stay silent, keep her away from people and that would sate her insane lust for the lights in the sky. Then, she wouldn't have to fear the girl wandering off. Then it occurred to Gothel - she could prove her words right if she enlisted the help of some intimidating thugs. All it would take was one good scare, a threat, a knife brandished in their faces, her crying theatrically, her paying them off to leave them alone... She could teach Rapunzel a lesson, and prove her words right all at once. She watched as Rapunzel raced around the tower, packing her little satchel with apples and carrots and bread.

It would be so easy, and it would secure the girl's fear of the outside world. What a perfect birthday present. Gothel smiled at Rapunzel. "I'll need to go fetch you shoes if we're to leave. We'll go later this evening, so we can take our time getting to the lakeside."

It was so typical for Rapunzel to just accept her word, and to believe it so thoroughly.

So pathetic.

**A/N: **I adore reviews, especially because I've never written these characters before. I'm working on other things, but I had to get all these ideas out!


	2. Plan The Plan

In a dark pub a few miles from Rapunzel's tower, Gothel was negotiating her plans. She knew there were a few nasty places around, but only in smell and sound. The people there kept to themselves unless there was a business transaction to be had. She had walked over to a pair of threatening twins, their hair bright red and faces scarred and battered. She sat down, her hands tucked under her chin. They were confused at first, but that only lasted as long as Gothel took to explain her situation.

"So you're paying us to attack you?"

Gothel had her lips pursed and her hood drawn. "_Act_ as if you're attacking us. I'm not paying you to actually attack us."

The Stabbington brothers stared at one another with a huge grin of amusement. There was no way this could be true; fifteen hundred coins to act threatening? It was an easy payday, and exactly what they needed.

Flynn was off on the side admiring the crown in secret, trying to think of how to ditch these idiots. He was only paying attention to every second or third word.

"Why?" They were suspicious, and for good reason. They'd never heard of this Gothel woman before, so for all they knew she could be some palace guard trap in disguise as a young woman.

"No questions."

They seemed unconvinced with her reluctance to offer details. But then the clatter of some coins on the table encouraged them. "This is just a fraction of what's to come. There'll be much more, once you've done your part."

"This seems pretty convoluted."

Gothel's attention snapped to the brown-haired man who was barely visible past the other two men. She flexed her hands on the table before standing. "I hardly think you need to worry about the details, if they make your head hurt so. Payment is payment, and all you have to do is be your _charming_ selves."

...

Later that evening, Rapunzel was sitting eagerly beside the window. Pascal was sitting sleepily on her shoulder, his head nuzzled against her cheek. It was too exciting for Rapunzel, and there was no way she could even imagine sleeping, not with the outside so close.

In her eagerness, she had packed the satchel full of food already. After some thought, she had tried her hardest to get her hair easier to manage. While they were travelling she couldn't afford to snag or catch on branches. And that green stuff - grass? – her mind spun in theories of how that would feel under her feet. Maybe it was as hard as the stones she was surrounded by, or maybe it was softer than silk. She wondered, and drew, and wondered some more. All this anticipation was going to kill her!

But then the darker side started to seep into her whimsical theories. There could be bandits, thieves, highwaymen, thugs, ruffians, hooligans, the list went on! What if they were captured? Rapunzel shuddered at the thought. She couldn't handle the idea of her or her mother being attacked. She tried in vain to push the worries out of her mind, and to focus on the lights she would be faced with in just a day's time.

This was a real dream come true! Rapunzel and her mother, standing on the lakeside, watching them... Rapunzel speculated why they had to stand by the lake. Where did the light come from? Did it spout from the water, or was it from an island, or a volcano? There were so many questions. She would have to ask before they left. She had promised she wouldn't speak a word once they were outside the tower.

Rapunzel would have to take parchment and pens with her, or just a book with blank pages. That way, she could write all her questions down for later, when it was safe to ask them. Her mother said that if people heard her voice, they'd know she could do magical things with her hair. Her mother had told her that, so it had to be true! It would be awful if people judged her for what she could do with her hair.

Even worse, she didn't want people trying to use her for her hair, either. It seemed so violent, the outside world. But maybe her mother was wrong about some things, and maybe she was wrong about this. Rapunzel stood up, stretching her legs and arms. She couldn't wait to be out of this tower. All this anticipation was going to kill her.

A voice called up to her. It was her mother!

It didn't take long before she was face to face with Gothel, who was carrying a brown paper bag. Inside were some plain brown shoes made of thick, rough linen. "You need something sturdy if we're to walk." Rapunzel thumbed the linen, her fingers tracing patterns on the thick sole of the shoe.

"I'll put them on!" Once on, they felt rough and painful to the touch. They also seemed a little small. "Mother, was there a bigger size?"

"Oh, I forget you have such big feet! I'm used to my own little dainty ones. It's no wonder you never wear shoes, I don't suppose they make any big enough."

Rapunzel smiled, not wanting to risk her trip for a comment about her feet. She thought it was better to have bigger feet anyway; it made it easier to jump around and run. She tightened the laces, examining how they looked on her feet. Terrible, and they already felt a little painful to wear, but she didn't care. All she cared about was getting out of here. With a quick twirl, she drew her cloak around her. She had made it earlier, when she realized she didn't actually own a cloak. It was thick and pastel coloured, a soft wash of pastel yellow. She smiled, cuddling it up to her cheeks and admiring her handiwork.

"Good thing it's dark, no one will see that awful, rushed thing."

"I only rushed a little."

"No point in rushing jobs, sweetie!"

Rapunzel wore the same forced smile as before, her hands still clasped around the cloak's buttons. She clasped it together with the giant gold buttons she'd found in her mother's room. She felt wonderful, sans the pain of the shoes she was wearing. Some things couldn't be helped.

Maybe if she was well-behaved her mother would take her out more and more. There had to be a town around somewhere. All she had to do was be on her best behaviour, and act as submissive and kind as possible, and not say a word. Easily done!

Gothel stepped towards the inner circles of the tower, examining the stones.

"Mother?"

"Shush, child." Before Rapunzel knew it, she was staring at a passageway, dark and cobwebbed. There were stairs, and darkness, and the scent of mildew and Rapunzel didn't know what to do. There was a trap door!

Maybe her mother kept it in case Rapunzel was ill, and she couldn't pull her up. Maybe it was a secret for a good reason. She felt a little annoyed though. Why would her mother hide such a thing from her? Why make her pull her up every day? "Are you coming, or have you changed your mind about this whole childish idea of yours?"

Rapunzel shook her head vigorously, bunching her cloak up to her cheeks once more. She pulled her hood on, proud of her handiwork. Rather than carrying her hair around, she'd added a sort of pocket in the back. All her hair was being held inside the cloak, so she could move with ease. It was an elegant design, she liked to believe.

"You look like a boy with your hair so short."

"It's just tucked away, and back."

"I was just teasing, dear." She paused. "You're a very pretty boy."

"Thank you...?" Rapunzel softly replied, stepping down into the passageway after her mother. She had a satchel over her shoulder, and a last glance around her tower made her shiver with excitement. She was really doing this with her mother's consent and with her mother by her side. It wasn't like all her dreams where she'd sneak out and return before her mother found out. She'd gotten permission, and they were going together. She was practically tingling.

And then there was stairs, for miles and miles it felt. It was so dark, and dusty. She couldn't help but sneeze over and over again; her nose started twitching as they slowly stepped down the spanning staircase. She watched as the patterns changed, and as moss started appearing. She could hear crickets. She could smell something, something she couldn't place. It smelled like her mother when she was fresh from town. Grass, water, trees, flowers, just... _Nature!_ Rapunzel let out a little sound, almost a whimper. A few tears rolled down her cheeks.

Gothel grabbed a large slab of wood, and with one swing of it there were no more doorways. There was just the outside. A warm, rich red dusk was over the land, all the hues drawn out like a painting and all the light so soft Rapunzel just wanted to touch it.

She stepped after mother, her receptive feet aware there wasn't hard stone or wood. It was like walking on her bed. She fell to her knees, very hesitantly reaching out to touch the grass. It felt - it felt - she couldn't actually word how it felt. It felt so familiar, so normal, but so new and amazing. It was springy, and light, and fresh. She played with it, petting it like it was an animal.

Rapunzel noticed a moment later that her mother was glaring down at her.

"Really Rapunzel, you're getting dirty. This is not the proper way for a lady to behave! Get up!" She yanked her up from her underarm, brushing the girl's knees off. "You cannot run around touching and smelling everything. Otherwise, we'll never get there!"

Rapunzel wiped away all the tears from her eyes, nodding obediently. She would listen. She was so lucky to have Gothel. Her eyes trailed over all the other things she would never touch, wondering how trees felt and how flowers smelled when they were fresh and alive. She wanted to know so many things. But most of all, she wanted to see the lights. That was her main focus. Maybe the next time she went outside she would get more time. Maybe her mother would let her go alone.

...

After the short discussion of what tactics they would use to scare their target, Flynn was feeling worse for wear. It wasn't really in his best interests to stick with these louts in the first place, and now he was being dragged into petty mercenary work. What had become of the glamorous womanizer, Flynn Rider?

"Are we actually doing this?"

"Can it, Rider."

"I mean, this is so petty, so below my standards." Flynn paused. "So below our standards. I thought we were better than this."

"A couple of hundred crowns for scaring some little girl? C'mon, this is a no brainer. We can use this to get a coach somewhere safer to sell the crown off."

Flynn remained unimpressed. He was a thief, not a mercenary. He also wasn't known for his ability to scare women. In fact, he was more known for his ability to get women very interested in him. The twins clearly lived a life of scaring the hell out of anything prettier than them. And let's face it, everything was prettier than them. Flynn picked at his teeth in the reflection of the crown, smiling and smirking as if testing his appearance in a mirror.

"Put that away, idiot."

"Fine." Flynn scoffed, reluctantly stuffing the crown into his satchel. Of all the things he could be doing with his time, he was being paid to play boogie-man. Well, he wasn't _really _getting paid; it was the twins that were in on the deal. He was just trying to find a way to ditch them without getting murdered or castrated, not necessarily in that order.

Their makeshift hiding place had been picked very specifically. They were standing in front of a large, wide road. It was lit very poorly, and with their handiwork, they made it pitch black. The lady had told them to wait by the signs directing merchants and foot traffic alike.

"Are you guys just going to jump out and smile?"

They both scowled at Flynn. "I mean, you have lovely smiles..." He really hated these two. They didn't appreciate his wit, or his smarts. They acted like his was a conceited, smug, arrogant idiot. As if they couldn't get further from the truth. Flynn was rather talented, and dashing, and all that good stuff. He just happened to prefer stealing things instead of legitimately gaining them through work or labour.

There was a soft green light bobbing in the far distance. The Stabbingtons withdrew swords, crouching a little lower in the bushes. Flynn was easily hidden behind them, with no intention of actually jumping out. While they were distracted by this whole intimidation thing, he would run into the distance. He could easily run away and find a hiding spot before making his way to Calvier. Their black market would go insane for the chance to purchase such an important memento of Corona.

The light drew closer, and two clearly female forms became clear. One was the woman paying them off. The other was presumably the girl. Flynn perked the slightest. He'd assumed the girl wasn't even into double digits yet, and here she was, wide-eyed and very much a woman. His plan was given pause before he realized he wouldn't get another chance to ditch the Stabbingtons.

It was now or never.

A/N: I tried really hard to capture Rapunzel's excitement and interest, so I hope that shows through. I'm really happy that people have reviewed already! So thank you for the two favourites, the alerts and the reviews! **TreepeltA113**, I actually started this entirely from Gothel's perspective. She is so much fun to write! **Blackbearcub12****, **I also enjoy drama! I felt the original story had some potential for extra drama and that's what this story is allll about. Don't forget to review, lovelies!


	3. So Many Questions Left Unanswered

The walk had been dull and unremarkable to Gothel, but to Rapunzel it was a frenzy of writing detailed questions in her little notebook. A bright purple flag hung on a pole nearby, one that seemed familiar. She stared at it in the dim light of the afternoon sun, reds and oranges cast over greenery.

"Mother?"

"What did I say about that talking, my precious little flower?" " Her voice was sweet and sing-song, but it didn't stop it from hurting Rapunzel's feelings.

With every step they took, her feet seemed to sear with pain. The shoes were starting to give her blisters. Shoes weren't supposed to do this, were they? She certainly hoped not! Maybe if they would just slow their pace, Rapunzel could heal her feet. But when she asked, her mother flat-out refused.

"Don't be such a princess. It's unbecoming of a young lady."

Rapunzel pursed her lips, her hands clasped in front of her. That was a little confusing.

It seemed to go on forever, the walking. Rapunzel was used to getting wherever she needed in under a minute. How did people walk all the time? As it was darker now, she couldn't make out her writing. That didn't stop her from scrawling note after note, like why trees have leaves? And why grass was green, and why are there fences in some places but not others? She wanted to see and know so much more than the darkness offered her.

A rustling ahead caught her attention. She smiled excitedly. What if she saw another person? How exciting!

Out of the shadows appeared two large men. _Men_! Very manly men, Rapunzel assumed from their size. One had hair all over his cheeks, and she wondered if that was a medical condition. She wanted to ask, but that seemed mean. The pair carried large metal things in their hands, similar to the knives she used to cut vegetables. She tilted her head. Why on Earth did they have such big knives? Were they going to cut some big vegetables? Did vegetables of such a size exist?

Wait.

Were these the sort of men her mother warned her about? The ones who threw women against trees and hurt them in ways that only men could? Rapunzel faltered back.

"M-Mother?"

Gothel looked back at Rapunzel, her eyes wide with fear. Rapunzel had been scared, but to see her mother mirror her own emotions was terrifying. This wasn't supposed to happen, was it? Before Rapunzel knew it, Gothel had bundled her up in her arms, covering her eyes.

"What do you want?" Rapunzel had heard her mother yell before, but she had never heard her sound frightened. Her mother was the woman who feared nothing, and protected her from the bad things. She wasn't allowed to be scared.

"Whatever y'got to offer."

Their laughter made Rapunzel feel very sick. It was deep, and nasty. It sounded like a chair being dragged across stone, scratchy and loud to her ears. She tried to peer out from her hiding spot against her mother, but she couldn't out of fear. If she kept her eyes closed, and hidden, maybe they would let her go. They'd have to let her go.

"I don't have any money, or anything of worth. Be on your way!"

"That's a shame. Y'got other things we could make use of, I'm sure."

There was that chuckle again. Rapunzel felt like she was going to throw up, properly now. Then there was a hand around her wrist; a hand that wasn't soft, or motherly; a hand that hurt her, and made her cry out in pain. She was wretched from her mother, who looked beyond angry. She didn't want to be outside any more. She didn't care about those stupid lights.

Rapunzel wanted to go home.

With giant, fearful eyes she looked up at the man who was holding her arm. "Let me go!" It was a pathetic plea, but she didn't know what to do. She couldn't read his expression, but she knew what he was thinking. Her mother had kept her close, but she had never spared the gruesome details of what men could do, given the chance. Without thinking, she bit down hard on his forearm. He jerked his arm away and knocked Rapunzel off her feet.

Before she knew it, she was scampering over the short fence, and sprinting away. Her feet were screaming, her eyes were on fire with tears and her heart was so broken she couldn't believe it possible. Her cloak snagged a few branches, but she kept running, ignoring the branches grabbing at the fabric.

"_Rapunzel! Get back here! Rapunzel!"_

Rapunzel ran for so long, she felt like she had forgotten how to stop. It wasn't until she tripped, falling to the ground in a crumpled mess. She wished she could stop crying, she pleaded her eyes to stop, she whimpered and drew herself into a ball, wrapped tightly into herself with her cloak tightly pulled to her. She hated the outside world. Her satchel lay scattered next to her, food spilled out over the ground alongside her book of questions.

Without thinking, she picked up the book and threw it angrily into the shrubbery.

"Ow!"

Rapunzel froze, her arms wrapped around herself.

A man appeared, though not one of the ones she had been attacked by. He was clutching her book in one hand, while his other hand was on his head. He looked confused, squinting into the darkness and directly at her. Rapunzel scrambled to her feet, shoving things back into her bag. Was he going to attack her, too? She was about to tell him to go away, but she covered her mouth with her hand. Like her mother had explained, he would know about her magic.

"Oh, you're that girl." That's what she thought he said. How did he recognize her? He looked at the book, then to her. "Is this yours?"

Rapunzel scowled, drawing her hood up.

"Hi. Uh. You can hear me, can't you? "

Rapunzel nodded, stepping further and further back before she felt a tree trunk behind her. So this was what a tree felt like when it was alive and towering in a forest. She was sad she couldn't enjoy this moment, still frantic from being manhandled.

"Can you speak?"

Rapunzel hesitated before nodding. A small little flash of green peered from just under her thick, blonde hair. It had eyes… A weird little frog waddled out, sitting on the girl's shoulder. It seemed ready to attack him.

"Okay, well, this has been fun and weird." He grinned, but it failed to ease her nerves. "Look, here's the book you just assaulted me with." He offered his hand out to her, with her book between his fingers. She didn't like the idea of her belongings being trapped by a man's touch, especially not someone who was hiding in a forest.

With very small, graceful steps she approached like a deer. When in arms' reach of the book, she snatched it away and jumped back a few feet. She kept eye contact the whole time. If he decided to attack her too, she needed to be ready. Really, she needed to find her way back to her tower and to her mother. Oh God, she had left her mother behind! What had happened to her? She rolled her lips into her mouth, her attention finally sinking to the cold, wet grass.

Where was she? What was she going to do?

...

Flynn had thought he made it a distance from the whole debacle, but he still found himself faced with the girl he'd actively tried to avoid. He really wasn't the type to scare girls unless it was in some way beneficial. Because girls who were scared of him rarely, if ever, made good companions. He had the crown, and he was free.

With a small salute he headed off in the opposite direction to where the girl had appeared from. This was the second time he was ditching her this evening, but the first time she knew of it. She was on her own both times as far as he was concerned.

The lost, scared, lonely girl was a bandit's dream. Flynn sighed, casting a look over his shoulder. She was still standing there, staring at the ground and crying. Not the ugly, loud sobbing from before, but she was definitely crying. He felt his heartstrings (the ones that had long since been cut off) were being tugged.

This wasn't his problem. He wasn't even involved. He was free, and – and he couldn't just leave a girl standing in the forest crying her eyes out, even if she had assaulted him with a hardcover book.

"Hey! Are you going to be okay?" he called back, keeping a large physical gap between them. She shot him a look of fear and anger, her giant green eyes so emotive he could hardly stand looking at her. She made him feel _things_; all kinds of things. But mostly she made him responsible and guilty, even if he hadn't done a thing. "Goldie?"

The girl perked up at the nickname, swallowing hard and taking a few steps back.

"Are you going to be okay?"

And that when she just sat down, staring at the ground. He felt like that was enough of an answer. He approached her, scratching at the scruff of his beard. He felt like a putz for going back, but seriously, tiny and crying in the woods just screamed for her to get attacked. The least he could do was prevent a second attack. "Can you – y'know - _talk_ to me? You're creeping me out with the giant eyes and throwing books."

Instead of speak, she opened the book and started to write. At first, he wanted to just continue on his merry way with the crown in hand, but he was a little curious. And he happened to like how she seemed suddenly sane and focused at the task at hand. He reluctantly sat on the grass eight or so feet away.

"What're you writing, hm?" He tried to peek, but her frog's scowl was enough to deter him. When she was done, she offered the book to him.

_"I'm sorry for throwing this book at you. I was attacked by someone, and I lost my mother, and I really want to go home. I don't like the forest._**_PS: Please don't attack me_**_!"_

"Well, since you asked so nicely." The joke didn't get the laugh he had hoped for. He took a deep breath, handing the book back. "Can you speak?"

_"I can, but I don't want to."_

"Because?"

_"Because I don't want to."_

"Well I'm not going to hurt you, so you can speak."

"_I shouldn't."_

"Why not?"

"_My voice isn't normal."_

Flynn felt his eye twitch a little, his hand coming to cover his eyes. He dragged his palm over his face before standing back up. "Well, this has been great, but I have to go sell off some things, and drink some other things. All that fun stuff." He wanted to help her - wait, no, he didn't. He didn't want to help her. What did he owe her? She seemed like too much of a hassle, with the whole not speaking thing. Flynn really wasn't interested in complicated girls.

A hand was wrapped around his arm.

Flynn paused. "Yes?"

The girl offered over her book again, her writing now frantic and upset. It was strange that she could convey emotion through her writing. It probably helped that her eyes were giant and emotive, peeking over the book to watch his reaction. _"Can you help me? Please? Where am I? I really want to go home. I don't want to be here any more. Do you know how to get me home?"_

"Be here anymore? Here, where?"

The girl seemed reluctant, but she offered over her book once more. _"Outside."_

Flynn had this strange feeling she was going to be a handful, just from her reluctance to speak. He didn't really want to help this girl. Especially without any form of repayment. Then again, he was heading past the castle to get to the intersection between Cavlier andCorona. Maybe he could let her tag along.

"I don't know where you live, or how to get you there, sorry. I can help you get close to the city, but I'm not going in. I'm not really a big fan of that place. Too crowded, and it smells funny. There're a lot of socioeconomic problems. It's so busy this time of year with tourists for the princess's birthday lantern thing."

The sound she made was both the most adorable and infuriating thing he'd ever heard.

_"I'm Rapunzel."_ She kept her distance, but she seemed to slowly perk up as time went on.

"Your name is Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel, as she was called, seemed a little annoyed. _"Is that a strange name?"_

"No, I guess not. It's just a very unique name." Flynn had never heard of it before. Wasn't that the name of lettuce or cabbage or something?

With the smile Rapunzel was beaming at him, she seemed incredibly excited about being unique.

"I'm Flynn. Flynn Rider." He followed that up with his patented smoulder, an expression he had spent many years perfecting.

"_That's a weird name."_Her face was scrunched into a pout, her eyes narrowed at him. At a guess, she didn't believe that was his name. This was coming from a girl with a small frog sitting on her head, one that had scampered out of her hood.

_This was going to be so much fun._Flynn grimaced, pinching at the bridge of his nose. He'd direct her to the castle, and then they'd part ways. It'd be easy enough, especially if they started walking now. Flynn took a few steps before Rapunzel told him to stop. "What now?"

Rapunzel winced, sitting on a nearby rock and peeling the shoes off. Flynn had to say they were the nastiest shoes he'd ever seen. They looked like burlap sacks for your feet, with a bit of slate for a sole. He winced a little at the sight of her feet. Huge blisters had formed around her ankles and toes, and there was blood. It was practically grotesque. The worst part was how nonplussed she looked.

With a raised hand, Rapunzel twirled a finger around at him and mimicked covering her ears. After a few demonstrations, Flynn finally caught on. She wanted him to turn around and – cover his ears?

"Why?"

"_Just do it, please."_ She gave him a defiant look. He didn't need her scrawled note to tell him to just do it.

Despite entrusting her life to him, she kept a distance between them and an eye on his movements. When he had turned around, she pulled her hair out, wrapping a large portion around her feet. They stung so much, but it wasn't going to hurt for long. Pascal sat on her shoulder, gently petting nuzzling her cheek with his own. She smiled, singing the healing chant her mother had recited to her nightly since before she could say. The glow seeped from her scalp to the tips of her hair, a tingly, warm sensation.

"Why is there light?" Flynn asked loudly, his fingers in his ears. He was loudly humming. It was nice he could respect her wishes. Perhaps he wasn't too bad. She wasn't going to trust him, though.

Rapunzel kept singing until her feet stopped hurting. After carefully tucking her hair back into her cloak, she wriggled her toes. It was like it never happened. She loudly cleared her throat and Flynn turned back around. At first he seemed annoyed but then he noticed her feet - her healthy, not-injured feet.

"How -"

Rapunzel shook her head.

"You-"

And shook it again, pulling out that damned notebook._"No questions about my hair, or my voice."_

Flynn shut his mouth, glaring at the small green frog on her shoulder. It seemed to be mocking him. He looked back to her feet, a frown on his face. "Are you able to walk without shoes?"

Rapunzel stood up, taking a few steps. At first she was fine, but then she stood on a stone, and then a stick, and another stone. She winced, scowling. When she found her mother, she'd have to tell her how awful those shoes were. And that's when she noticed Flynn had taken off his boots.

"Put these on."

Rapunzel frowned, not liking being told what to do. She reluctantly pulled the boots on, feeling incredibly ridiculous. They were comfy though. She wriggled her toes, admiring the space and comfort they afforded her. With a small grin, she peered up to Flynn as she got to her feet.

"It's only until we get to the path." That's what he said. He wasn't sure how that would hold up. He gave her a small pat on the head, and she shoved him in the chest defensively. "You're a brute!" She looked so buttery soft; it was like throwing a marshmallow at her would bruise her.

_"Don't try and throw me against a tree, or try to attack me. Okay? Because I will fight back."_Her note was passed back, torn out of her book. She kept the damn thing clutched to her chest with a pen in hand.

"I had absolutely no intention." The little frog glared back at him from it's perch on Rapunzel's shoulder. Seriously, the frog was creeping him out.

**A/N: Reviews would be tops, thank you! I'm a little sad about all the bits I had to cut out in the revision of this. I hope to include them in later scenes!**


	4. The Lost, Lost Princess

"Rapunzel? Rapunzel!"

It didn't matter how much Gothel screamed, she couldn't find hide nor hair of the girl. She had vanished off into the night, crying and screaming. Gothel had half a mind to kill the idiots for screwing things up. When they had yanked Rapunzel away, they had overacted the part. They had put genuine fear into her, which is what Gothel wanted, but they had also sent her into the woods.

"Y'said you wanted t'scare her!"

Gothel swung around, hitting the one who had spoken with a large branch. "I wanted her scared, not hysterical! You won't see a single coin until you find her! She's worth more than you idiots know!" Her rage subsided. She didn't need to reveal too much of the girl for them to search for her. "She's my flower."

"Sentimentality will make you think she's worth a million crowns."

"You have no idea." Gothel stared at him, her lip sneered up slightly. Rapunzel was nothing but an investment to her. The idea that she cared in the slightest about the girl was only linked to how useful her hair was. All of that was impossible to explain without revealing too much about her arrangement.

The brothers frowned toward one another, their interest waning. Flynn Rider had their own investment, one worth perceptible return. He'd ditched them when they were busy scaring that Rapunzel girl. Now they were out for him just as much as Gothel was out for her daughter.

"Where d'you think Rider has gone?"

"Like Hell I know, Red." Reed paused, his eyes narrowed. "Y'think he would have gone after her?"

"Why the hell would he go after her?"

Reed shrugged, looking between Gothel and his brother. "Just a thought."

Gothel seemed to ponder this, her eyes narrowed and shoulders squared. All this had worked out terribly. All she had wanted was to scare Rapunzel and return home, unscarred and safe. Was it so hard to find good help these days? "Regardless, we need to find my Rapunzel. Your fellow is no concern of mine." She paused, flexing her hands at the edge of her hood. "You will help me find her."

It made more sense to follow this old witch till they got their money than to run off. They'd find Rider eventually. He wasn't that hard to find, if you knew where to look. He'd be heading to the only place he could sell the crown.

"The lakeside." Gothel's breathe hung in the air. It was colder now, with the night blinding the trio.

"Huh?"

Gothel swished off along the road, eyes narrowed into the darkness as she searched the depths of the forest for her daughter. The girl had no chance in the world at surviving, not even if she had that scrawny thief at her side. What chance would they have of finding one another, anyway?

…

Flynn couldn't be sure, but something told him that Rapunzel wasn't your normal small-town girl. The way she walked theatrically on the grass, and how she picked every flower they passed and stuff them into her satchel, he got the feeling she was everything but normal. Each time they passed a rabbit or squirrel, she would shriek and hide behind him. Every rustle in the trees stopped her in her tracks.

At one point, she noticed a rabbit splayed out on its side. She tugged excitedly at his sleeve until he stopped and looked. She hadn't noticed the twisted limbs, or how broken its neck was.

"It's just a dead rabbit, Goldie. Relax."

All he got back was a squeak and a look of upset. How had she never seen a dead rabbit before? This was definitely not normal. They were hung in every butcher and market square, not to mention as a staple for dinner or lunch.

"Did you get hit in the head, or something?"

Rapunzel swished around to glare at him, her hands tightly clenched at the newest bundle of flowers. Her notebook soon followed, complete with an indignant flourish when she handed it to him. _"I have not hit my head! Why would you say that?"_

"You act like everything is the first time you've ever seen things."

Rapunzel opened and closed her mouth a few times before tightly puckering her lips together. He didn't know what to take from this. It just looked like she wanted a kiss, but he knew that wasn't the case. He raised an eyebrow, as if prompting her to say something.

"You were trying to talk to mushrooms before."

"_Is that weird?"_

"You ask – write? - a lot of questions, too." It's true, she did. Flynn didn't even know the answers sometimes, and it made him feel rather stupid. He didn't like not knowing things.

"_I do?"_

Flynn smiled, though it was strained and tired. Dear God, what had he agreed to? "Just keep walking." And that's how they continued for a short while longer, in silence as she plucked flower after flower. Occasionally stopping to quietly mumble to her frog thing about whatever came to her mind.

The sooner he helped her home, the better. Something told him he should just take her to the mental ward in Upper Square, but that meant actually entering the city. He was just going to let her go, and hope that she got herself committed. As it got darker and darker, their progress slowed them to a crawl.

"We aren't gonna make it for at least another half a day… We'll be walking all night."

Rapunzel gave him this sad look, a pained twitch crossing her features. She had never walked for this long, and it really hurt her legs to keep plodding further and further into the forest. What if they never found her tower? What if there was no end to the forest, and the only place that was safe was her tower?

When Flynn spotted a small indented cave ahead, he realized how tired he was. It was easy if you kept walking, but they'd stopped too long. His legs were beginning to protest. "We should probably rest."

A comically large yawn came out of her mouth as she stretched. When his gaze lingered on her figure a little too long, she gave him an annoyed glare.

Flynn shrugged in response. It was then he noticed his sudden switch. Why was he helping this girl? What was there to gain from it? The only reason he'd let her tag along was because she was crying in a forest, alone. What other reason was there? She offered nothing to him, and didn't have any money or leverage on him. He frowned a little, eyebrows knit together as they approached the cave.

And then they sat, facing one another with determined, angry expressions. He was eating one of the apples from her bag, and she was just sitting, glaring. Even her frog seemed to be glaring from behind a curtain of blonde hair.

"Why won't you sleep?" Every little thing about her threw him. Usually girls would cuddle up to him, and they'd _sleep_ for a fair amount of time before actually sleeping. This girl just sat there, staring at him like he was going to bite her head off.

And there was her book again. She was almost out of pages, from the looks of things. _"Because you might attack me."_

"If I was going to attack you, don't you think I'd have done it by now?"

Rapunzel frowned, her chin resting on her knees as she glared at him. _"But we're not even friends, are we? I don't understand how this all works. Why would you be nice to me?"_

Flynn narrowed his eyes. She made a good point. "I don't have any friends, full stop. Don't take it personally."

The girl sat up, her eyes widening before narrowing again. With a flick of her hair, she moved her hair out of her face. She scrawled a message once again, gently placing the book in front of Flynn again. _"My best friend is Pascal. He's a smart chameleon."_ With her index finger, she patted her frog on the head. Flynn kept reading. _"I assumed people outside would have lots of friends. There's so many people in the world."_

"I don't really _do_ the whole friends thing." He adjusted his shoulders, his arms resting on either knee. "Why don't _you_ have any friends, huh? You seem nice enough, for a crazy blonde."

Rapunzel blushed, shaking her head.

"And why are you always surprised? It's like you've been in prison all your life."

With her lips rolled into her mouth, Rapunzel ducked her head back into her arms.

"Fine, we won't talk about it."

Rapunzel slumped to her side, curling up into herself and trying to obscure her face with her arm.

It was annoying to have someone so desperate to avoid his usually effective methods of deduction. Maybe she had grown up in jail. "What could a baby possibly do to get put in jail, anyway?"

"_Have magical glowing hair?"_ Or that's what Flynn heard from between her arms, mumbled just loudly enough for him to hear her.

"What was that, Goldie? Stop mumbling, I can't hear you."

Rapunzel curled into an even smaller ball. She looked pathetic, curled into herself like that. There's this sudden urge to scoot over and stroke her back, or curl up next to her, or something to offer comfort but…

This is why Flynn hates women. Specifically this one.

…

The next morning, Flynn awoke to a sleeping girl curled up at his side. He didn't know how she had managed her way across the cave and onto his chest, but she was curled up neatly, her hands clutched at his vest.

A strand of her hair had been pulled slightly out of her hood, but it seemed to keep going. He tugged at it gently, sleepily curious about how long her hair was. In retrospect, he probably deserved that punch. Then again, she had invited herself into his chest to sleep.

"We'll make it to town today."

With sleepy, scrawly handwriting, Rapunzel pushed her book to Flynn. Pascal was sitting on her hip, sleeping still. _"I can't go there."_

Flynn raised an eyebrow. "Given your total lack of skills in the forest, you'd be better off trying to land a job in town and setting yourself up with a house. Not everyone can make it as a thief, or on the road."

Rapunzel stared at him, as if expecting him to tell her she was kidding. It wasn't until his expression remained determined and stoic that she realized he was being serious. Her expression fell. Why was she so upset?

Rapunzel shuffled away, her lizard thing scooped up between her hands. She bent her head down a little to speak privately with Pascal, her voice barely a whisper. "He's telling me what to do."

The frog whirled and clicked.

"I know mother means well, but… No I agree." _Click._ "No, I know." _Chirp._ "No, I don't want to be back in my tower!"

After the hurried "discussion" with her pet frog, Parcel (maybe Pastel?), she turned back to him with a smile across her face. She returned to her notes, her hand darting across the page confidently. _"All right, Flynn Rider. I see your point."_

Flynn just smiled, but it didn't meet his eyes. The way she wrote his name seemed so – so accusatory.

"All right, Rapunzel… Rapunzel."

Rapunzel smirked. _"It's Rapunzel Gothel!"_

Flynn frowned. He didn't care for that last name. It seemed to dark for her. Then he recalled that woman in the bar, who introduced herself as Gothel. That had been the girl's mother? He hadn't even though about how she had been sold out by her own mother into some scary freak show. He decided to keep that information to himself. It wasn't any of his business after all.

They begun walking, but soon the path widened, and the trees thinned. All their travels were starting to pay off, as merchants appeared along roadsides with handcrafted goods, and vegetables from their gardens. It was another one of those invitations to Rapunzel, offering her a million things to write about, and a lot of concern for Flynn who didn't want her rolling in mud.

Not that he cared.

There were notes and question for each sign they walked by, and curious eyes at each merchant they happened to spot hocking wares on roadsides.

It took all his attention to stop her from accidentally robbing one store blind as she started grabbing things off their tables and shoving them into her bag. Apparently she had no concept of bartering or purchasing goods, and thought it was free for all. It was like she was the worst thief that ever existed. It made him feel even better about his talents.

When she spotted a hair comb with a giant golden flower on it, she stared at Flynn with sad eyes until he bought it. It was only two crowns, and it made her happy. She even gave him a kiss on the cheek, not that he noticed.

The shop merchant was almost struck down with shock as Flynn actually paid them – he was a known thief, impossible to catch but well-known. Rumour had it he was the one behind the stolen crown, and the only evidence anyone had was his reputation.

As they walked, Flynn had walked into Rapunzel, his knuckles brushing her hand. She scoffed, gently nudging him with her shoulder. It continued until she winced, clutching her arm. Rapunzel pulled at her sleeve, a frown on her face.

Flynn winced, his cheek muscles twitching. "What's up?"

Rapunzel swallowed hard, drawing her sleeve up enough to see a huge bruise. Flynn had joked about being able to bruise her easily, with the marshmallow thing, but he'd barely touched her. How was there such an awful bruise across her wrist all of a sudden?"

There was a pause between them, until he reached out to grab her wrist. The way Rapunzel jumped back and stumbled over her cloak to escape him was upsetting. He hadn't hurt her once.

The feeling of guilt only worsened when he offered a hand to help her up. She just scooted back, pushing herself up when she was ten or so feet away from Flynn. Her eyes were wide, glossy and insulting to look at.

"Can you stop freaking me out with this not talking thing?"

Rapunzel thoughtfully bit down on her lip. Despite his question, her attention was on her arm. She traced her fingertips down her arm, wincing at the sensation. Bruises were painful. All she needed was some quiet, somewhere she could heal herself. She didn't want bruises.

Without her book or bag, Rapunzel darted off a short distance, trying to find somewhere to hide, briefly. She didn't want the bruises from that other man, the awful one with the ugly insides and gnarly face. Because of _that man_, she was marked. Just a short while, but the purple and blue mess on her skin was so awful.

Rapunzel insisted to herself that Flynn wasn't allowed to hear her voice. He was being so nice to her, and she was afraid he would attack her for her hair, or – or whatever it was that men attacked women for.

Mother always said the sweetest ones were the worst of all.

And that's why Rapunzel sat, very sadly drawing out her lengths of hair from her cloak to wrap her arm in.

"_Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine…"_

…

**A/N: I sort of want to get all this out in the internet. Please enjoy!**


	5. The Splitting Of Ways

As Rapunzel sang, the pain in her wrist subsided. It was nice to know she could fix her ills so quickly. She never knew suffering, or aches. And when she thought about it, she had used her powers more these past days than ever before. Maybe her mother did have a point about the dangers of the outside world. Maybe she would be better off in her tower. All she needed was someone who knew how to get there. That seemed impossible, but Rapunzel couldn't give up just yet.

Rapunzel stood up, ready to look around for Flynn. After a moment of staring around betwen the identical trees, it dawned on her that she couldn't recall where she had come from. In her haste to escape him, she had forgotten this wasn't like her tower. People weren't within a few feet of one another. They couldn't even hear each other - there must be so many people, too! Hundreds and hundreds of people, all doing things, like painting, and reading, and eating, and sleeping and - she felt a little woozy thinking about it.

With careful hands, she tucked away her hair back into her cloak.

"You there! What's your business out here?"

Rapunzel tensed, her eyes flying wide open. She turned towards the voice to see a man with a large moustache and a shiny hat. How had he gotten such a piece of metal to look like that? It matched his chest piece! How fantastic. There was a large group of men behind him, wearing the same stern, sceptical expression. Perhaps this wasn't the time for clothing…

"My business? Ah... Standing here?" Caught by surprise, Rapunzel had forgotten all about her voice, and her rule not to speak. She was on edge all over again - just when she had adjusted to being around Flynn! She swallowed hard as he approached her, her arms flying up in defence.

The man shook his head, looking more confused than she could understand. He turned back to the other men and spoke a few words, ones that didn't make sense to her. They sounded like commands. All the other men backed down, lining up in order. The man's white horse was blinking at her accusingly. She wasn't sure she liked this at all.

"Are you from the city?" He paused, continuing to examine her, as if he knew her from somewhere. "Or are you a local?"

"I'm just looking for my guy - Flynn Rider. Do you know him?" If they could help her find him, maybe this would all blow over.

"Flynn Rider? You shouldn't be out in the forest looking for some no-good thief." He shook his head, drawing his reigns back and leading the horse away forcefully. He seemed determined to stay near Rapunzel, drawn to her for inexplicable reasons.

Rapunzel didn't like this at all. "I'm fine, thank you! I'm just - I'm fine." She beamed a smile at the men, who all bashfully smiled back. As if they were embarrassed, if Rapunzel were to guess. One by one they trotted off, talking amongst themselves. She wondered what they were looking for - she knew she was looking for Flynn.

"Pssssst. Rapunzel. Goldie!"

Rapunzel pivoted on the spot. She really didn't like this. It was too much, and too many voices all chattering away at her ears made her head hurt. In her tower, there was never any more than one conversation at a time. "Hello?"

"Now you can talk." Flynn peeked out from behind a tree, relieved and annoyed all at once. He seemed reluctant to come out from behind cover. Rapunzel wasn't sure if this was normal or not.

"They didn't notice my voice." Rapunzel blushed, kicking her foot a little.

"We'll discuss your craziness later. For now, we need to - shh!"

"Flynn?"

"Shh!"

Rapunzel looked at what Flynn was hiding from. One of the men returned! It was the one that had been speaking to her before, with the white horse. "Did you need a lift to the city? It's close by." The man gave her a well-intentioned smile. Before Rapunzel could shake her head and politely decline, the man had fallen off the horse. Behind his fallen form was Flynn, brandishing a large, thick branch. The white horse jerked and neighed, but seemed to recognize Flynn.

"Hey, woah!"

Rapunzel watched, astounded as the horse attacked Flynn, trying to kick him. In a feat of bravery (something she was full of these days), she dashed over to Flynn and held her arms up. "Hey! Woah there!"

The horse seemed skittish at first, but slowly warmed up to Rapunzel. She smiled over her shoulder to Flynn while petting the great, white horse (who bore the title 'Maximus, according to his harness). Her smile faded when she remembered the unconscious man nearby. "Why did you hit him?"

"He – I – Look, it's an incredibly complex plan, I don't want to bore you with the details."

Rapunzel raised an eyebrow at him before turning her attention back to the horse. "Hi! Um, could you help us? I'm trying to find my way home. I live in a big tower, and it's got lots of pretty drawings in it, and –"

"I liked you better when you didn't talk."

Rapunzel scowled a little over at Flynn, who was holding his hands up in defence.

"I'm kidding, sheesh." He grappled with the unconscious captain before tossing him over Maximus's back. "You kept saying there was something strange about your voice, but I think it's your hair you need to really warn people about." He clambered onto the horse.

"I just want to get to the town. Please?" She held the horse's face carefully between her hands, smiling hopefully. It gave a reluctant nod, jostling Flynn before settling down. "We can take your man back with us." Rapunzel sighed, sitting neatly in front of Flynn with her back compactly tucked against him.

Flynn kept the reigns in hand and made sure that the man remained balanced on their legs. Maximus was trotting a little slower to compensate for the weight. "Mother always said people would think I was a witch if I spoke to them. She said that my voice was - weird. Not normal."

"Your voice is fine."

Rapunzel smiled up across her shoulder at him, pressing back unnoticeable against him. He tried his hardest to keep from touching her more than required. It'd all be over soon.

"Does everyone have secrets?"

"If they're smart." Flynn paused. "Can you explain to me the whole sheltered life in baby jail or whatever you were mumbling about last night?" Flynn pulled back on the reigns to Maximus down. He hoped that Rapunzel wouldn't notice.

"Oh. Well." Rapunzel sighed, very quickly explaining she grew up with her mother in a tower, and this was the first time she had ever been outside of it. She left out her hair for the moment, only until Flynn noticed the bruise on her wrist was gone.

"You're a fast healer."

"That's why my hair glows."

"Come again?"

"M-My hair glows when I sing. It fixes things - makes them healthy again."

"That's not normal."

"I know."

"I didn't mean it like that."

Rapunzel went quiet, her posture shifted forward and away from Flynn. He soon realized this wasn't because of their conversation.

The castle had come into view.

Rapunzel let out the softest gasp, only to start exclaiming how magnificent all the turrets and roofs and chimneys – and people! - were. She felt dizzy again for the speed of her shifting attention sent her light-headed.

"It's – so much more than I ever imagined. Look! There's a baker! And – and flowers! I've never seen flowers like that before!"

Flynn felt like this afternoon sun had changed, or perhaps it was this girl's enthusiasm for the boring and standard. He spent years in that city – there was nothing lavish and magnificent about the slum areas, or the places where orphans lived quiet, unassuming lives. But he just let her revel in the details, feeling like the whole picture was being painted for him.

"The windows gleam and glow, and the flowers are shining…" She slipped off of Maximus, eager to see things faster than the pace he was going would allow. Flynn slid off too, placing the reigns in Rapunzel's hands before she ran off too far. "Take Maximus up to the castle. They'll probably reward you for saving the Captain and you'll have some money to start off with."

"... Oh. Right." Rapunzel stares at Flynn, as if expecting him to change his mind. "Thank you, Flynn. For everything."

"It's Eugene, actually. Eugene Fitzherbert. Someone might as well know before I disappear off the face of the Earth." Flynn gave a half-hearted smile before letting his gaze drop. "I'll need the boots back, though." He gave her a hand with getting them off. She plucked out the hair-clip he'd bought for her and offered it to him. He took it from her hand, only to tuck it back into her hair. "It's yours. Think of it as a "welcome to the reality" gift."

Rapunzel jumped a little and wrapped her arms around his neck. "This is my real first gift ever! That's not from my mother, anyway…" She trailed off, playing with her hair methodically. "Thank you so much for everything Flynn. Really. And come visit me, okay? When it's less smelly and there are no tourists? I'd love to watch the lanterns with you."

"Sure."

"Promise." Rapunzel stared up at him, her expression stern.

Flynn just nodded, picking up his satchel and rushing off as a group of civilians approached. Rapunzel just blankly waved, her hand faltering when she noticed he wasn't even looking back at her. She felt as if something was amiss. But there were more important things to deal with right now, and a whole castle to explore.

Rapunzel turned back to look at Maximus, petting him on the side. "I'm really sorry, guys," she said to both the captain and the horse by her side. With a gentle tug of the reigns, Maximus started to follow.

"My life finally begins." She grinned, her smile so wide she didn't know what to do with herself. She marched proudly over the bridge, the smell of freshly baked bread and sweets wafting toward her. She was about to step across the threshold of the castle, only to be met with several men in the gilded armour.

"Excuse me! Ma'am!"

Rapunzel paused, peering curiously at them. "May I come in?" She wasn't clear on the protocol here. Did she need to pass a test, or offer money?

The guards seemed unsettled by the sight of a barefoot girl with a warhorse and the Captain of the guard. They looked between their ranks before approaching, to close ranks around her. She flinched back, fearful they would grab her. It seemed to be the thing to do around here – she didn't like it one bit!

"How did this –" They gestured to the Captain. "Happen?"

"Oh! My friend, Flynn Rider – I mean, my friend Eugene Fitzherbert and I were walking along, and Flynn knocked him on the head. Eugene told me to bring him back to the castle." She thought that sounded believable. It was also correct, if you really thought about it.

The guard with red-hair coughed, stepping aside to usher Rapunzel forward. "We'll need to take you to the barracks. If you've rescued the Captain from the forest, I'm sure there'll be some reward for you. When he comes to, that is."

"Oh! You can just – well – can I explore a bit? I've never been to this place before. It looks so beautiful." Rapunzel smiled, clapping her hands together under her chin. "Unless I reaaaally have to go to the barracks right now..."

"The lanterns will be starting soon, so it's now or tomorrow." The guards all seemed uneasy, and Rapunzel couldn't place why. They all stared at her with the same vague, unsure faces.

After a moment, sighed. "Can you point me in the right direction, then?"

The guard on the right pointed up, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Once the girl, the horse and the man were gone, he turned to his friend. "She looks – familiar, right?"

"Nah. Couldn't be."

Flynn strutted along happily, or so he told himself. The girl – Rapunzel – was safe now. She was safe in Corona, probably eating a free meal, and counting a bit of gold. Good for her. Speaking of a good meal, he needed to stop off somewhere to buy a bit of food. He'd left most of the rations with Goldie.

But he had snatched an apple.

With a happy smirk, and expression that felt flat without someone to admire it, he reached into his satchel as he walked. To his luck, his hand landed on his apple, the one he'd stolen. And some bread, which he must have stolen. And a large bunch of grapes, which – wait.

Flynn felt a book. A worn book. He stopped mid-stride, ripping the bag open. Fruit, bread, a book – crown? Crown? Where was the crown? His mind slipped back to his narrow escape from some passing civilians that might have ratted him out to the guards. Had he grabbed her bag by mistake?

That meant he'd sent her into town with the crown. And with no known perpetrator, a strange girl with a crown and an unconscious Captain would be beyond suspicious. Flynn's heart started pounding. This was good, right? It meant he wasn't responsible for stealing the crown. It also meant he had no gold, and nothing to trade.

It also meant he'd just committed this girl to death.

Flynn Rider would have kept walking until he found somewhere else, but Eugene was too busy running back to Corona to even think about that.


	6. The Coronian Welcome

...

With the directions provided by the guards, Rapunzel found her way to the main post without much hassle. There was a large number of guards, all dressed similarly. Some had special badges, or more plumage to their helmet, but she didn't get a chance to ask about that. Another question she would have to remember for later. For now, she had to focus on getting this horse and his man to somewhere safe.

All seemed to watch her as she passed by, or it surely felt like that. "Excuse me?" She said aloud, looking between the guards with concern. "I - found this man in the forest. He'd been knocked over the head. And, I was told to bring him here." She raised her chin, trying to seem more confident than she really was. Between the horse, the men, and the foreign town, she was close to freaking out.

A few stunned men finally sobered enough to rush over, one taking the reigns, another pair taking the man off the horse and carrying him to the barracks. One man, the tallest around she would have guessed, took a few steps forward. Rapunzel countered by flinching away, arms raised.

"I didn't hurt him!"

"I wasn't suggesting you had - forgive me." The man seemed to try and draw into himself, defensive in his own way. He had a hand extended, as if offering to hold her hand. She kept a skeptical pout on her face, eyes darting between the hand and the man's face. "I was going to ask your name. If you have saved our captain, we owe you a great reward."

Rapunzel hardly believed him, her arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "Rapunzel. Go - eh - " Rapunzel wanted to remain hidden, for now at least. She plucked up her courage, holding her chin high. "Rapunzel Fitzherbert."

The man smiled once more. "I'm Lieutenant Bastion." He looked around, making a few hand gestures. While there was a doughy softness to his smile when he looked to her, his demeanour sharpened up when he looked to the men around him. The men in the courtyard gathered information, all seemingly trained to act obedient. Rapunzel watched with great interest, her arms neatly by her sides. "We'll need to get in contact with the patrol in the forest. Whoever attacked the captain is likely part of the group that stole the crown."

Rapunzel stiffened, a wooden smile on her face. Stolen crown? Who would have stolen something! Eugene had taught her not to steal things, a fact she was thankful for. The concept of bartering was still new to her, and he'd been kind enough to tell her the basics. Don't touch what isn't yours, and don't trust anyone. Similar to Gothel, though she took his advice with a grain of salt. As Bastion discussed tactics with his men, Rapunzel absently drew circles on the ground with her toe.

"You'll need a reward - you saved the captain's life."

"I - no - I didn't."

"Don't be modest." Bastion smiled once more, offering his hand to her once more. She didn't take it immediately, but did step a little closer. "Shy - I - sorry. I get that." He shook his head, smacking his forehead with his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Rapunzel. I can't say I've seen you around town before. Are you new?"

"Very new." Rapunzel clutched her bag tightly, her little lizard friend whirllng on her shoulder. The pair walked towards the office nearby where the guards were given their rosters. Everything was a bright shade of yellow or pink, with soft, pastle accents on all the bricks and signs. Rapunzel stood patiently where Bastion had told her to, her attention skipping from notice to notice. There were posters with various criminals on them, and some advertisements for job openings. Curiously, she picked through them till she spotted an opening at a bakery.

"If you're looking for work, you'll need a reference. I'd be happy to weigh in." Bastion returned with a small bag of coins, jingling as he passed them to her. He also found a pair of shoes, tucked away in lost and found. "I thought you might need a pair." He shrugged, eyes turned to the ceiling.

"I wasn't. I don't need a job." Rapunzel was taken back by the soft silk shoes, lined with embroidery and lace. With her bag set aside on the floor, she quickly pulled the shoes on. She tried them on quickly, amazed that they fit. She wiggled her toes, appreciating the vast improvement they were to her old linen and slate ones.

"That so?"

"I won't be around long... I don't think I will, anyway." Rapunzel finally met his eye, a smile on her lips. With the sum she was offered, and a town to explore, she headed to the door. "I'll keep it in mind though!" She waved to him, turning on her heel. Once she was outside, a voice caught her attention. Without thinking, she turned back towards the voice, her head tilted to the side. "Ah - yes?"

"Rapunzel! Are you - the lanterns tonight. Will you be watching them?"

"Yes." Rapunzel hadn't even needed to think that over, the word jumping out before she even realized.

"Alone?"

Rapunzel blinked. "Yes."

"Would you want to watch them?"

"But I am watching them - "

"With me?"

"Oh." She said this with some strange realization; that she didn't understand him one bit. Why was he so eager to see her again? Odd. "Of course." That was simple enough. It was annoying to be here, alone. Perhaps a friend would be in her best interest. She stuck out her hand, as if to shake his, and he kissed her very precisely on the knuckles. She let out an awkward laugh, tugging her hand back and waving once more. Rapunzel played with her hair, not sure what to say at this point.

"I'll meet you at the dock, then. Just before sunset?"

"Of course."

...

As Rapunzel wandered along the busy streets, she couldn't help but notice how welcoming people were. Some smiled to her, some nodded, and she even got a kiss on the hand by one man! He had complimented her, and she had run as fast as she could away from him. Still, it was a nice thought. The men from the forest had left their impression on her though, so each person she met was kept under a watchful eye.

"Mummy, I want that!"

"How much for these eggs?"

"That's too expensive!"

The town was bright, and open, and friendly. So many people walking every which way, each with their own baskets, their own families. Rapunzel had long since pushed her hood back, revelling in the sunlight much like a flower at dawn. It was a different sort of light, with so many places for it to bounce off of. There were displays for the ceremony later that evening.

It was laterns! Who would have thought there would be such a grand display, all light and beautiful on her birthday of all days. It was told that the lost princess had been taken, and this was a display to her. Rapunzel felt sorry for the young girl; she was long presumed dead, though no one said as much. The king and queen had long since given up on finding her, though they kept the ceremony. Perhaps the gods would smile down on them and bless them with another child; perhaps that princess would return.

There had been pretenders over the years. Many girls claiming they were the lost princess. Some shared birthdays, hair colors, eye colors... There were many traits that Rapunzel thought she matched, but it was too much. She wasn't a princess! She wasn't even part of a family, save for her mother. She brushed the thought aside, playing with the dogeared advertisement.

What if she stayed in Corona? What if she never went back to her tower?

The beat of her heart in her chest kept her centered, with so many people around her to question. She had long since realized her voice wasn't as strange as her mother had told her, but hadn't thought to speak to anyone. Through the crowds she weaved and glided, led only by the scents of freshly cooked muffins and bread. Part of her wished she could share this with someone, though that would be impossible. Flynn - Eugene? - was off on his own adventure, and she had yet to see her mother.

Guilt washed over Rapunzel as she thought of her mother. While she had been with Eugene, she hadn't spared many thoughts for her mother - and that made her feel all the worse. It wasn't that she missed her mother, because really, she didn't miss her mother. The longer she stayed outside her tower, the more kindness and thoughtfulness she experienced. People being polite to her, people saying nice things to her... And Bastion, being nice enough to spend what would have been a lonely night with her. She wouldn't have to watch the lanterns alone, as she had feared, because she had -

"Eugene? Eugene!"

"Shh, shh."

Before Rapunzel could react, she was pulled into a shadowy corner between two sandstone buildings. She stared up at him with surprise mostly, though the sudden closeness took her by surprise. "I thought you were allergic to Corona!" She beamed up at him, her hands balled up just under her chin. "Did you come to see the lanterns?"

"Lanterns - no." Eugene shook his head, swallowing hard. The girl didn't have her satchel on her. "Where's the bag, Blondie?"

Rapunzel stared up at him in confusion, her hand defaulting to her side. The bag wasn't there! "I must have left it at the guard's station!" She let out a sound of annoyance, her hand against her forehead. "What if someone took it! Then my book's gone, and I had so many questions, and I'll never remember what they all are now!" A few tears welled up in her eyes as she slumped back against the wall.

Eugene shook his head, awkwardly wiping away her tears. "No, no crying. I have a trade. You took my satchel. I have yours." He quickly showed her the book, though tucked it away just as quickly. "I need my satchel, Rapunzel."

"If it's still there I can - I'll just go get it. I'm - I'm sure it's still there..." She let out a sigh of relief. A few gulped breaths of air later and she had visibly relaxed. She remained leaning against the wall, staring up at him with mixed annoyance and relief. "I thought I was alone here. Are you sure you can't stay?"

Eugene frowned, shaking his head. "No point in me staying around here."

"What if I said I wanted you around?" She paused. "I did sort of miss you." Rapunzel's hand defaulted to her hair comb, the one he'd tucked into her hair earlier. It'd sunk, the hair all loose and lost at this point. She tugged it out, examining it. "I've never missed anyone before. I didn't like it."

Eugene raised an eyebrow at her, not sure what to say at this point. It would be a lie to say he was incapable of missing people - more that he missed the idea of people - but he'd grown older, more jaded. Eugene, the orphan, had lost the ability to invest in people once he worked out they were in the door and out again without so much as a hello or goodbye. While all the children around him in the orphanage grew up, moved on, he was there till he was sixteen. He'd taken care of the little kids, the ones who had actually known the parents, and read to them. He'd kept them happy. He'd made sure that parents would want them.

Then one day, he'd run away. There were too many children to look after when there was no one to look after him. And now, eyes focused on the sad, doe-eyed Rapunzel, he felt an unwelcome pang. A conscience. "We get my satchel. Then - we'll see." He sighed, resisting the urge to reach out again and stroke her hair. She needed comforting, but that wasn't his forte. It hadn't been, not in the forest, or now. The sooner she relied on others for that sort of thing, the sooner he could leave her with the crown and the eased guilt.

"Do you think I should stay in this town?"

"Why are you asking me?" Eugene stepped back, realizing their closeness was causing him more problems.

"I don't know - isn't that the sort of question you ask your friends?"

Eugene headed off down the dark alleyway, seemingly aware of where they were headed. "It is."

"And we are friends."

"We are?" His voice went up a little too high for her liking.

"We are."

"And?"

"Should I stay here, in Corona?" Rapunzel tucked the hair comb back into her fringe, pushing trying to get it to stay in place. After a few feeble attempts, Eugene stopped them to help her. She smiled and thanked him, keeping her eyes on the ground. It was nice to have a little help here and there. She wasn't as afraid when he was around. It didn't make much sense to her, but she kept that to herself. "Thank you."

"I think you should. You'd fit right in."

"You really think so?"

Eugene nodded, a quirk to his lips. "I know so."

In silence, they continued along the windy backways till they found the guard's post. Things began to map out in her mind, with certain signs and stores looking familiar. The air was growing cooler around her, and she sorely wished she'd had more time in the town to read, and explore, and dance and - and there was always tomorrow.

"This is it." Eugene waved for her to head out into the open.

She poked her head out, peering around the street. When she turned back to look at Eugene, he waved her ahead. She frowned, eyes narrowed. In a very aggresive wave-battle, Rapunzel gave up when people began staring at her with confused frowns. As she snapped back to attention, she shot a glare at Eugene. He mouthed 'go in without me' and she gave up on fighting him. It would be easy enough to dart in and out again.

With a deep breath, she approached the guard post with wide, intent strides. As she reached the main office, and looked inside, she was met with her name. Her footsteps slowed as she spotted Eugene's satchel, tucked under a chair, and Bastion. Oh, if only that had been all she saw.

"Mother?"

...

**A/N: Reviews appreciated! Do not fear, I have all this planned out. Just be ready for a very deviated approach to the story.**


End file.
